The use of hard metal cutting inserts in cutting tools is now commonplace. Such inserts are normally placed on the tool holder or shank by some type of clamping device. The problems with using clamping devices are compounded when used with small tools. Thus, for example, the smaller clamps are more difficult to fabricate and the size of the clamp relative to the small tool is relatively larger. Thus on small cutting tools the inserts are normally brazed onto the tool holder or mounted with a screw going through the insert to avoid disadvantages accruing due to the use of clamping devices. A disadvantage of clamping devices that is magnified with small size tools is that the shank or tool holder must be inserted and held in the bore of the machine tool post. With the clamp in place the shank cannot fit through the bore and thus can be mounted from only one side. On some machine tools all of the shanks of the tool holders must be mounted by passing the insert end of the shank through the bore.
For the most part cutting tools with inserts are used either for longitudinal turning operations or for cut-in operations. One of the reasons for the noted specialization of the machine tools to either turning or cut-in operations is that in cut-in operations the actual cutting portion of the tool must extend a relatively large distance beyond the tool holder. Thus the insert must be properly clamped and sufficiently strong to withstand the force caused by the cutting.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved cutting tools in which the above referred to disadvantages are substantially reduced or overcome.